A World of Yaundae 3.5

A world to span the ages

A blog for your campaign

While the wiki is great for organizing your campaign world, it’s not the best way to chronicle your adventures. For that purpose, you need a blog!

The Adventure Log will allow you to chronologically order the happenings of your campaign. It serves as the record of what has passed. After each gaming session, come to the Adventure Log and write up what happened. In time, it will grow into a great story!

Best of all, each Adventure Log post is also a wiki page! You can link back and forth with your wiki, characters, and so forth as you wish.

One final tip: Before you jump in and try to write up the entire history for your campaign, take a deep breath. Rather than spending days writing and getting exhausted, I would suggest writing a quick “Story So Far” with only a summary. Then, get back to gaming! Grow your Adventure Log over time, rather than all at once.

Giants, oh my!

The adventure thus far:

The cavern was dark. The tower smelled of death. The dank heat and steam was everywhere outside.

The party after its encounter with Camber (the insane drow wizard) holed up in a barricaded room. Nothing disturbed the party’s rest and after regaining spells in the morning, the party returned through the steam filled and crumbling caverns. The lava pool blazed heat and the green glow of the cavern that the party decided not to check out. Briefly stopping at the intersection of the caverns it was determined that where ever the necroship was, it wasn’t with the drow. The deep gnomes most likely had it and weren’t likely to give it up to the drow without a fight. The party returned to the surface.

Other party members were collected and back to the elven city of Erth, nation of Alfheim. The week journey back to Erth was uneventful. The druid was easily able to find food and water to keep the party fed. The party set up the teleport and took care of training. During training the Spring equinox passed without notice. (Eldon, Spring celebration is very important to druids). The Great and Grand druid hands you a demerit for lack of worshipping at the spring rituals. Eldon is assigned the tasks of planting towering pine trees for a week to make it up.

Aldin said he did have teleport spells and the party decided to take all the items that were not magical and sell them at the Bizarre Bazaar. A merchant by the name of Vestus offered to buy all the non magical items at full value. If one of the party wishes to purchase an item then it was decided that will be part of thier share. The magic items will be divided at a future time. While the party was training and determing the future owner of items word comes back from the deep gnomes to the high elves. They have the necro ship and after mastering its use, they used it to in a attack on the drow fane. They utterly destroyed it and killed every drow present. The treasure over flowed the necro ship.

After training and selling it was decided to find out about Aldin’s home land that was under attack from assorted Giants. In a time long ago the Drom Empire had floating cities that ruled the entire lands east of Kyronia. A few places that were magic abundant where chosen to build surface cities. The city of Wizards, Lungold was built on the eastern shores of a vast ocean that had towering icebergs to the north and steam filled islands to the south. After the great fall of Drom, Lungold was one of the few cities that survived and even thrived without the rule of the Drom Empire. Lungold is thousands of years old by keep neutral in the great Dragon wars and Giant conflict.

Part of that neutrality was ceding land to the giants as they grew their race and fought for dominance in the northern reaches of the Vilyaet lands. Many tribes of giants found the land appealing. They roamed the land, hunted and camped and began to settle. The centuries later at the peak of giant expansion was the Dragon and Giant wars. Only the elves knew what the cause was but mighty and terrible armies fought battles and blasted life and land. The Dragons were fought to a stand still and the giants suffered horribly. Their numbers much reduced they hid in the hills and mountains where no other race could find them. It has been centuries and a few giant tribes allied briefly with a massive orc army to try and over run the human lands. The humans held fast and the army was broken. Giants were hunted and slain through out the southern Vilyaet lands. The northern tribes watched and bid their time.

Now is the time. The northern tribes have grown strong again. With dragon predation and the smaller races hunting them the northern lands have cause the giants to grow and became legion again. And now its time to reclaim ancient lands. Hocath is a village located on a ancient warm spring with fresh water flowing from the many streams in the mountains. Settled a hundred years ago it was a village that prided itself on its ability to grow and receive visitors. Aldin grew up here and then attended the College of the Arcane in Lungold. He proved adept in the arts and made a name for himself and grew in his ability. Until word reached him that his home village was under attack.

As were many villages in the last two years. At first it was missing cattle and sheep and crops being pilfered. Then missing villagers. Then fires and buildings being suddenly destroyed by rain of stone. Then whole families went missing. Wagons and caravans were attacked and thier goods and food were stolen. Finally a raid against a fortified village killed several of the invaders. It was giants. Hill giants. Ogres. Orcs. The local Baron could not cope with the numerous attacks and sent out a plea for adventurers to come to his land and find out what is causing these giants to band together. Even with ancient feud’s it was unknown in the northern lands. Aldin, Eldon, Dargis and Calin decided to head to the north. Several teleports later the band arrived in the village. A few soldiers and the town elder Gustavis were trying to calm the villagers. An attack last night damaged several buildings and several more villagers have gone missing.

The band headed northeast up into the hills and mountains at the End of the World. A guide and Eldon finally found the concealed trail and 10 miles later a vast wooden manor, fit only for giants appeared beyond the rise. The guide showed them to a warm cave that was concealed from the giant steadings main entrance. The party maintained vigil for a day. They saw a troop of giants head down the trail. Eldon followed in eagle form and saw them meet and bring back a troop of ogres. Back at the cave the day passed watching the steading, patrols of ogres and giants as well as military drills. Plans were laid and a night passed. The next morning was heavily over cast. Early morning horns and bells sound and 5 tall giants with milky skin descended and stayed with the giants till mid afternoon. Then ascended back up. Knowledge and shared memories remembered that Cloud giants can rise and fall at will. The party decided to attack. The giants poured out of the main door and advanced. Blade barriers and lightning and ice storms rained down on the giants. Four died as they tried to navigate around the barriers toward the cave. Then the main doors opened wide and two ballistae rolled out and took aim. The first bolt landed true (natural 20 not that anyone needs to know) and the bolt exploded with green fire. Several on the party were on fire but the damage was minimal. It was time for the party to leave. More plans were laid but in the night a giant raid demolished several more buildings in Hocath and left 10 headless bodies outside the village main building.

The next day the plans were determined after the scouting was done. The party returned and came back with barrels of oil. Aldin dimensioned door inside the steading and finally found the tower and the main door. Teleport and teleport and the party came back bearing barrels of oil. It was pushed down the stairs. Oil spread throughout the stairwell and the lower level. The oil was lit and greasy smoke poured upwards through the natural chimney. The horns and alarm bell sounded. The party teleported to the main doors and cast another blade barrier across the door. The giants of the tower had jumped out and started advancing on the party. The party teleported back to Hocath. An immediate evacuation was begun. A chorus of howling sounded from out of the hills.The villagers took two days but managed to make it to Secath without any attacks. The party returned and the village has been flattened. 20 more headless bodies now hang from crosses arranged around the village…

Where did they go?

WOYapril6

The descended back into the depths after first entering the ziggurat and continue plumbing its depths. The first room had been about the columns and figurring out how to get the doors open.

Going back and reopening the doors found two rooms with golems in each. The party first tried to enter the room full of mud. In the mud were two clay golems that ambeled up to th party and attack. Frederick anchored the attack along with several other party members. With his rhino charge Frederick attacked and damaged the first clay golem. It in returned focused all of its attacks on the rhino. Blows were exchanged and in the middle of the combat one clay golem landed two blows that broke Fredericks back. He died on the spot. Rhino #2 was gone. Finally the clay golems succumbed to the combined party attack and fell apart.

Additional rooms were searched and a stone golem was attacked and dispatched as well as several bone constructs. A large treasure room was emptied.
The second floor presented many undead but the party managed to dispatch each of them. Several more items were found. More undead killed. Up another set of stairs.
A room with a bone devil in it that was quickly dispatched. On the other side, the lich. Kelbrie.

Calin’s augury indicated that it would not go well if the lich was attacked. The lich did talk and wanted his necroship back. He was attacked by drow but they barely managed to make off with the ship. The lich did offer to tell the party how to operate it if it was returned. The party would not agree to his terms. The party left the lich’s lair and proceeded back to the top.

At the top, Dagris was left to guard and the vigilant Wenarus had found that a Wizard had inquired of the elves for adventurers that would be available to help his village as they were the victims of giant attacks. The party agreed if the Wizard would help them clean out this Drow’s nest. Agreement was reached and the party quickly descended into the depths.

Another cavern was followed and found a trail of wreckage leading to several areas of green glow. Dead drow and deep gnomes speak of a struggle for something large that seemed to careen off the cavern walls. There wasn’t much on either though the gnomes had long brass rods pouches of strange round lead pieces and little paper sacks. One of the pouches was emptied out onto the rough rock floor and exploded! The party took and damage and decided to take what they had and retreated out of the area. Moved to another cavern. Down its winding tunnel led to a what looked like a war had been waged. Blasted cavern walls. A rock column tower had been shattered. The party entered but there were more bodies and little else. A few things were found. The party moved deeper into the cavern. Some areas of green glow were avoided and a cavern mouth was completely blocked by the green glow was avoided by the party.

Deeper into the cavern and a blasted drow temple was found. Grimlocks had already sacked the place and were in the process of completing its destruction. A meal was shared by Calin ( extra 150 xp ) and it was thought that the drow priestess might have hidden more treasure out in the pool outside of the temple. Investigating it was determined that a black pudding inhabbited the pool. An elemental was summoned to attack and then Gunnar decided to try to use the pouches at the pudding. It simply fell into the water. Gunnar then threw the remaining pouch at the ceiling over the pool. A large explosion ensued and the ceiling came down on the pudding. After the collapse the earth elemental was used to retrieve the treasure beyond the pool.

The party then moved further on and entered an area of magma and steam. It made seeing anything at a distance almost impossible. But continueing on beyond the wall of steam the party came to a short square tower with no features. After many search attempts a door was found and egress was made into the tower. More scene of carnage. Undead ogre zombies standing over dead bodies. Finally on the third floor they found a clearly insane drow in a laboratory pouring over a portfolio of notes. He ranted and raved about what he thought he saw and launched an attack. After a brief battle he was killed. The portfolio turned out to be notes about the necroship. It is obvious to be useful it has to be used in conjuction with other books. It was decided that Dagris at the top opening and the party head out.

During the rest period a strange dream comes to Elissandra:

One month ago, the renegade drow House Sorethin stumbled
across an ancient ziggurat in the underdeep. After exploring
the perimeter they concluded it belonged to a human lich of
great power. They reported this information back to their
matron and the family wizard, Camber Sorethin. Together with
the House priestesses, Camber devised a plan to assault the
lich’s ziggurat and loot it of any worthwhile magic, which they
would subsequently use against head of the drow force Druxizzela.

Here there be hill giants

After the evacuation, the band was joined by Wenarus and Gunnar that had been directed to them by left messages and notes. The band traveled back to Hocath to verify what had happened. It became very clear that the giants decided that Hocath would exist no more and the entire village had been flattened. Every building had been torn apart and razed to the ground. Then with the timbers from the destroyed buildings, 20 crosses had been erected and 10 humans, 5 ogres and 5 orcs had been left hanging. It was obvious that they had been left to die.

The party removed the humans from the crosses and provided them proper burial as overseen by Calin. Though probably not believers they deserved to be given proper burial rites. The orcs and ogres were thrown upon a funeral pyre. Dagris looked for identifying marks on the humans to bring back news to Secath when it was possible.

After dealing with the remnants of Hocath, the party felt it was time to figure out what the best course of action was to take on the hill giants. First was the idea to teleport to the cave and set up watch again. The first group of characters to arrive was met by a large purple fungus that emitted horrible screeching sounds. The party wasn’t sure what to make of this but then saw that something was attracted by the noise. Calin put up a Blade barrier and whatever was outside decided not to venture inside…And the party teleported back to Hocath.

AS it was going to take some time to clean up Hocath and wanting to wait till dark, Elden was sent to range up the valley in eagle form to scout. Suddenly a large white reptilian form swooped out of the clouds and quickly flew closed on Elden. Elden tried to escape by diving to the ground and hiding in the vast conifers that stood alongside the road. The dragon merely swooped down and looked directly at Elden and said “ssshow yourssself”. Elden hastily transformed. The white dragon smiled and said his name was Icing Death (not a true dragon name but it certainly describes his abilities). Icing Death also told Elden that hill giants tend to drink and feassst after ssssunssset. That is when their guard will be down.

Once Icing Death determined Elden to not be a threat and wasn’t a tasty morsel he wanted to know why Elden had there. Elden then layed out what was going on with the Giants. Icing death responded with a proposal. If the Diamond of Elissee is found (it is the size of a human head) use his dragon tear to summon him and he will clean out the nest of giants.

Meanwhile, back at the ruins of Hocath, the party discussed options… and discussed more options. The discussion dragged on into the evening and Elden returned with the dragons proposal. Ardin decided that enough was enough and it was time to act. Saying a few words he teleported to the giant’s pantry where he had first appeared. Still sounds of the kitchen as well as the occasional loud thump and crash of something hitting something.

Ardin spotted the stairs and quickly descended halfway. Prepared himself and continued down the stairs. Bare underground cavern though it looked well used. Faint animal and other more rank smells. But no movement. Continued through walking and soon spied doors and exit passages. Ardin selected one and moved deeper into the caverns. Everything was quiet. Moving faster and deeper Ardin was sure that the diamond was close at hand… it wasn’t.

Instead Ardin walked into a room with 3 stone giants in it. They immediately reacted and attacked and struck down Ardin. In an unconscious state, he was taken to the Chieftain and forced down a drought of giant mead. He came back to consciousness, throat burning, bound and gagged, to a great hall full of giants and ogres. The gag was removed and Ardin was questioned why he was here. Ardin told them they were all dead. Which promptly had the result of gales of giantish laughter and the gag was reapplied and the ropes tightened. The general gist of the giants moot talk from that point was how crazy was this wizard to invade and attack a giant stronghold.

The party in Hocath noticed Ardin was gone and decided to ascend the valley and see if they could get close to the the giant’s steading. Midway up the valley the party was moving pretty quietly and saw huddled and slumbering forms scattered under the trees. Nothing seem to notice the party. The party moved on. Nothing else seemed to notice as the party moved closed.

Gunnar on his mighty griffon flew up the valley, saw nothing moving. Circled the steading with its six mighty chimney’s belching smoke and could smell the cooking and roasting food and the drink that was flowing in the main hall. But nothing moved outside. Gunnar also spotted the main doors were almost burnt away and had yet to be replaced. Inside Gunnar spotted two slumbering giants, tankards near at hand.

The rest of the party arrived from Hocath at about the same time. Nothing or no one seemed to notice the party. Gunnar leading the way moved past the drunk and slumbering giants and proceeded to go into the steading. Doors opened. A room full of rowdy giants. A room full of furs and beds and furniture. More bed rooms and resting areas. A large set of doors and Wenarus stealthily opened it to see Ardin tied up on the floor and many many giants all drinking and eating and talking. And dozens of hill giants and cloud giants and ogres all talking and eating make lots of noise. None of them spotted the slightly ajar door. Except Ardin.

Ardin noticed the door, managed to spit out his gag and then dimension-ed doored to the other side. None of the occupants of the room noticed. The party continue to move cautiously opening doors and searching. A gate that seemed to have wolves on the other side. More bedrooms and resting areas. Then a secret door was discovered. Behind it was a narrow stair…

Down the stairs. A intersection. Move to the right and Wenarus tripped a trap and fell into a 30 foot pit. Sustaining light wounds he was dragged back out. On the other side of the pit, chests and chests of treasure. The party moved in to pick it all up. Another passage was taken and led to a room that seemed to have shiny items heaped against the far wall.

The party went in and iron bars sealed the room and another set opened… and four manticores peered into the room and started attacking the party. Blows traded, spines flung everywhere and Dagris was damaged over and over. But Calin was up to the task and kept the party healed. Finally the manticores were slain and more treasure was discovered. As well as a small room with spy holes and levers in the wall. Suddenly loud clanging and shouts were heard from above. The escaped Ardin had finally been noticed.

The party dragged all the treasure into the small control room and sealed the secret doors. Plans were made to teleport back with the treasure….

While the party rested and made plans in the small chamber, Wenarus noticed movement in the large chamber to the north. A large disfigured giant came and went with a regular schedule from a passageway to the North. Also there was a large iron door that bugbears went into and out of with food and slop buckets.

The party rested long enough that the the giant search from above and below failed to check the areas that the party was in. The party teleported back to Ardin’s home. Plans were laid and the party went back to Secath.

There a Brother of the Winds was waiting for Gunnar. He was being summoned back to service for the Empire and the Templars. Seems pirates had raided one of the coastal forts and a punitive expedition was being put together to punish the pirates. Gunnar gave the party a farewell and took off on Skyclaw to return at a latter time…

Out into the wilds

Gunnar was gone, summoned back to Victory, a thousand miles away. Ardin had to go home and fight off an intruder that was trying to eat students. It turned out to be a Shadow dragon which had tracked Ardan’s teleports and found Ardan’s home and proceeded to kill Ardan, his wife and all his students. Ardan’s Wizard Sanctuary was obliterated.

Dargis stayed to see to the evacuation of Secath to the Westros passes. As the villagers set out for the west they were attacked by a mixed band of giants, orgres, bugbears and orcs. Though Dargis fought valiantly he was overwhelmed by the shear numbers and was taken prisoner and brought back to Steading. His sword and crown and shield and boots were all sundered and destroyed for the giant’s amusement.

That left Wenarus, Elden and Calin to decide what was going to be the direction that the party now traveled.

While the party helped the village, a messenger arrived with grim news. The Grand Duke Geoff was defeated at Narill pass by the combined orc, bugbear and ogre army. Geoff’s forces fought well but was overwhelmed by shear numbers and at the light of day waned it became a rout. Geoff’s army is scattered to the four winds and the orc, bugbear and ogre army as divided up to attack the major cities of Geoff’s realms.

With prospects now nil for any organized resistance to the invading forces, the villagers of Secath hastily now are gathering possesions and either going south east to the Alpha kingdoms and the unknowns of the barbarians or to the west to the questionalbe fate in the nands of the Wizard Masters of the city state of Lungold, city of Wizards.

To the North East of Secath and Hocath is a dense wood that was home to wood elves and their town of Derellion. It was decided that if any allies were left in the immediate area they would be the closest. The three started the journey following the river and the guide provided by Gustavis.

Two days journey into the forest and the party ran into a large ogre patrol. Elden used a Wall of Thorns to stop them cold and then killed the remaining ones that escaped. The ones that were trapped were suffocated with a eversmoking bottle.

Another days journey brought them to the elvish town. The guide bid them well and and started on his journey back to the West. The three moved closer but noticed the eerie silence and then the unatural nature of the wood and trees around them. Even though mid morning, light seemed to fade and a torch that was lit guttered and sputtered and its flames seemed to suck inward into the town even though no wind was felt.

Then before the three appeared a visage of not a homely place of trees and wooden buildings but dead brambles and thorns and dirt. There was no live living green thing anywhere to be seen. A few minutes of traveling a shadow detached itself and flew through the party and tried to touch someone. It missed. Calin invoked the name of Hughma and it screemed away from the three. Then another came flying through the brambles and thorns and tried to touch a party member. Calin again sent it fleeing. The three moved in closer and from around a corner came a huge wolf creature that seemed made out of shadow. it launched itself at the party and was met by Elden’s bear.. which tried to bear hug it and then the shadow creature howled and disappeared from site with the bear.

The three hastily withdrew and is in the woods thinking of what next to do. They used the dragon tear and Icing Death felt somewhat amused by the situation explained what had happened at Derellion…

(in sly dragon voice) there wasss an attack planned. The elvish scouts had given warning. There was a human wizzzard that had planned to help. Giants and ogres and bugbears and orcs moved in for the attack. Huge ballista bolts and small boulders rained down on the elvish town. Elvish archer felled the orcs and bugbears and several giantsssss fell (Icing death chuckles) but the elvessss were outnumbered and they werrrreee pusssshed back… The Wizard used a ssssummnon sssshadow ssspell to take down a giant leader… but the sssspelll instead latched onto a ssshadow dragon and brought it into this world… she lay about with sssspelllsss and ssshadowss and struck down all around her… now even the giantsssss have declared thissss off limitssss… sssheee isss a ssshadow dragon… not true… for a price might be taken care of…

The three now seek their fellow adventurers.

Experience for Calin, Elden and Wenarus is 850 xp each.

The three were alone in the wilderness. No guide. No map. A dead city to thier backs. Hostile giants between them and escape. The only terrain that was familiar was Hocath or Secath and perhaps maybe the wizard could find them there.

The party was able to stay true due to the abilities of Elden. Wenarus dispatched the orc and bugbear patrols that happened across them. Calin supplemented the food and water that the druid found.

Perhaps the adventurers would make it. Second day on the road back. Storm clouds on the horizon. And eerie howling broke the silence of the morning. Then was joined by others. Dire wolves. “… a large pack..” says Elden. The party members looked at each other grimly.

The party started to run looking frantically for somewhere that was defensible. Only trees and in the distance the river. Soon, the howls were on 3 sides. Elden said thier pack tactis will be to close the end or they are moving towards a … trap.

From all sides the dire wolves appeared and rushed the party. Then suddenly large arrows flew among the party as did small boulers. it was a giant battle group with wolves. Soon they came from all sides. Elden’s Wall of thorns held the wolves but did nothing for the giants. There was not where to go. Elden tried to wild shape to an eagle but was knocked out of the air by one of the humongous bolts. Then Calin was clubbed to the ground. Then lastly Wenarus. The three came back to consciousness only find themselves prisoners. They were in stone cells beneath the hill giant steading. Only a few weeks ago it had been treasure… now it was torture. All the items were taken from the three and Wenarus’ blade was sundered from more giantish amusement.

It looked grim for the band. But six months ago a band of dwarf adventurers joined together to travel the world and find adventure. Little did they know they would be the ones that would set the troubled three free…

Dwarves, dwarves, dwarves

The winter of 977 RVS has been a mild one. Ports that normally iced over stayed open and travel along the roads of the Empire was easy. The dwarf kingdoms enjoyed the profits of trade from sea and overland.

A band of dwarfs met at the Rearing Red Dragon tavern discussed how it would be best to gain more gold. Each brought skills that the others didn’t have and the discussion turned to thoughts of adventure.

it was quickly decided and agreed upon to scour the swamps to the north of the Moody Mountain as rumors had it that Orcs and other goblinoids were gathering to form a cult of dragon worshippers. There has been a dragon in the Stygian swamps for as long as anyone could remember. And now it seemed he was gathering worshipers for some nefarious plot.

The band of dwarves agreed upon terms and set forth on 11th day of the 11th month of the year to travel down the north slopes of the Moody Mountain and see what they could find. After the first day of travel went without any encounter. The second day the band encountered goblins. Quickly dispatched the day was uneventful until mid afternoon when a band of orcs was encountered. Some wounds received but the orcs were dispatched.

A single Goblin tried to attach the party at night but was quickly dispatched by dwarf. The next morning brought the three to the edge of the swamp. At the edge a party of 4 orcs that were dressed differently fro the ones previously met. They wore bright colors and and had bow amongst them. The three were up to the task and within a few rounds the orcs were all dispatched but had done some damage. The party took what they could and set back for the Mountain of Moods.

Dwarves go marching one by one

Back in the Moody Mountain, also known by the Dwarven name of Moria, the three took a week of time to make sure they rested and repaired from the fierce battles that they had had with the orcs.

They met another dwarf, a member of one of the lost tribes from the Kingdom of Cauda. These three decided to engage in a traditional game of dwarf rock. A night of ale drinking and then in the morning it was time to head off. Late in the first day of travel ran into another group of orcs. They looked as rag tag as several of the other groups but were traveling further south from the edge of the Stygian Swamp.

Little did the three know that this group had become lost. They had no idea that they were heading in the wrong direction. They ran directly into the group and a fierce melee ensued. A sleep spell from the dwarven mage put down half the group and the fighters quickly knocked down the rest. The two orcs that were sleeping were then bound and one was awakened and was asked questions. The dwarves did not like the answers the orc was giving and they proceeded to cut his leg off. The orc then just hissed at them and called them ill begotten things that had sprung out of the earth. The dwarves then woke the other one in time to see them kill the other orc.

The last orc seemed to be more cooperative and gave them some information about orcs that were coming down from the Doom Mountains as rumors had been spread that the Black Dragon that was there would be the one that would lead them to greatness.

The 3 dwarves decided to head back to the Moody Mountain, dwarven city of Moria and take the one orc back for further questioning. The Captain of the Guard Kili met the group and had the orc ushered to the temple district for further questioning.

The party enjoyed the night back in Moria and then headed back out again. Several more orc groups were encountered along with one ogre. The party dispatched all of them and on the last group found a map on the ogre. It showed where a temple was in the middle of the swamp and the route the orcs were taking as they came down the river.

After that battle the party headed for the river crossing. It was there they decided to wait for any other orcs that may be foolish enough to cross.

That many orcs?

The party decided that they needed additional support to make sure that they could survive a large number of orcs crossing the river.

Headed back to Moria for training and finding additional adventurers. After several weeks of training the party was ready to venture forth again.

Traveling north back to the swamp the party ran into a Ankheg that sprang forth from the ground. Tried to bite and spit acid but was eventually taken down by the combined power of the Dwarven War axe.

That night the group was beset by a pack of wolves and two ogres. The ogres yelled in orc for the party to come out and join them. The wolves came rushing in but even in sleep wear couldn’t do much to the band of tough dwarves.

The wolves were dispatched and then the ogres finally came closer to see why their wolves hadn’t brought anyone out of the encampment. They soon realized that it wasn’t orcs they were facing but tough and experienced dwarf adventurers. They were quickly dispatched.

Continuing to the north the party found the river crossing with an abandoned boat and wagon and what looked like a combat of some kind. Following the path it was obvious that they were on the trail of a large band of orcs. After a day of tracking the dwarven band came up to where the orcs were encamped.

Plans were laid and the group tried to be as stealthy as possible. Crept up a rock and a great tarp was stretched out between poles and another rocky point. Tolbere ripped aside the rock and there below the group was a large gathering of orcs obviously in the middle of a ritual or heated discussion.

Spells flew, Tolbere launched into an attack and the rest of the dwarves followed in kind. Though there was a orc chieftain and a barbarian, they were all dispatched down to the last orc. Curiously enough a small group of orcs had dragon amulets while the larger and more heavily armed group did not.

The dwarves started to search when it became apparent that something large had been watching them the entire thing. The dragon Night Death made himself visible and discussed what the orcs had in mind. He pointed out that there was no dragon cult, he was fine with the Pax Draconis and the orcs were being misled by some shaman in the Doom mountains. The shaman seemed bent on sending these orcs to a full blown dragon cult or to thier deaths.

The dwarves pilfered all that the orcs had and decided what to do next as Night Death took wing and flew off…

Buffalo anyone?

The dwarf band was becoming a dwarf company with figther, paladin, ranger, cleric, wizard. The Stone Guard of Moria was taking notice and it was with some anticipation that they watched for the dwarf party to return after each of its outings. Bringing back proof of dead orcs and ogres also brings with it a certain amount of attention.

A larger band of dwarfs sets out from the Gates of Moria in the Mountain of Moods. A tough band if ever there was one. The afternoon of the first day finds the dwarves well on their way. Late in the afternoon what sounded like thunder filled the hills that the group was traveling through. A look to the west and the setting sun sees a large dark blot that quickly filled the western horizon. It soon turned out to be a massive herd of buffalo that was stampeding.

The dwarf ranger quickly found a large rock outcropping that could accommodate the entire party and shelter Bill the pony. As the herd approached the sharp eyes of some of the group saw what was causing the movement of the buffalo… wolves. The herd grew closer and the party watched aa the wolves worked their pack tactics and brought down 2 buffalo. The dwarves discussed this amongst them selves and the idea of fresh buffalo meat sounded good.

The herd drew night the rock and several archers in the group let fly arrows and bolts. A buffalo went down at the back of the stampede. Within seconds 2 more wolves were on it tearing out its throat and making sure it was dead. A shouted warning to frighten off the wolves resulted in one of the wolves standing up on its hand legs and laughing at the dwarves. A quick discussion amongst the dwarves and it was decided to generously let the wolves have the prize.

The rest of the day passed and the party found a grotto to settle into for the night. At the last watch a hippogriff descended on the party as it had picked up the scent of the pony. The party quickly hailed the hippogriff, known in common as Skybeak, and talked with him at length. The hippogriff told the party that he had come across a keel boat wreck in the river that the group was heading towards. Skybeak said he would divulge the location if the party would let him dine on the pony. The dwarves quickly said yes. Skybeak dined and then laid out the location of the wreck.

Early in the morning a ankheg attacked the party but even though it came up out of the ground close to the dwarf paladin it missed and was quickly dispatched. Mid afternoon found the dwarves trudging along the riverbank and the wreck came into view. It was indeed a keel boat with no signs of anyone aboard. It was also all black.

The dwarves clambered aboard and it was obvious the boat had suffered much that caused it to wash up on this rocky shore. The hold had been shattered and many of the crates and chests were smashed and the contents strewn about. There were still 6 that were intact. Quickly the doughty dwarves retrieved them all and without pony staggered under the load away from the wreck as quickly as they could.

The rest of the day passed and a camp was set. In the first watch movement was spotted at the edge of the camp. The party was roused and the dwarf wizard saw the humanoid at the same time it spotted the dwarves. It looked like a dark elf. Spells were cast. The elf was unaffected but two dwarves quicky fell to the ground. The next round the dwarf wizard put a bolt through the elf’s mouth. Seeing the dwarves rousing quickly and being outnumbered and unable to cast spells effectively he quickly withdrew.

This gave a rise to a loud and boisterous argument amongst the dwarves. Go after the wounded dark elf or continue to Moria in the Mountain? Though the Paladin wanted to track down the dark elf and perhaps others of its kind, their number was unknown and the party was within a good 10 march of the city. Back to Moria it was with the assorted treasure.

6 chests – 3 filled with glass, 2 with metal, one with cloth and papers.
the papers were in drow and were turned over to the Stone Gaurd and temple elders.
The others contained gold and potions.